Ship of Magic: The Liveship Traders, Book 1

From the author of the classic Farseer trilogy, Ship of Magic is the first part of the Liveship Traders. Set in a land bordering the Six Duchies, Robin Hobb begins her epic of pirates, talking ships, magic, sea serpents, slave revolts, dashing heroes and bloody battles.

After reading the Farseer trilogy, I really wanted to skip The Liveship Traders and go on to the Tawny Man Series but all the reviews I read indicated these books should be read in the order they were written because some of the characters from here are brought into the Tawny Man. While not directly connected to the Farseer story, it is set just outside the boarders of the Six Dutchies.

I liked the characters and the idea of the liveships but dont understand what is going on with the sea serpents. It has taken quite a long time to start enjoying the story as I don't care for the narrator's voice/accent. We have Trader families in debt to RainWild families for their liveships, children used as bargaining chips, pirates, slaves and politics and an interesting mix up of characters.

The Name of the Wind

I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep. My name is Kvothe. You may have heard of me.

New Spring: The Wheel of Time Prequel

For three days battle has raged in the snow around the great city of Tar Valon. In the city, a foretelling of the future is uttered. On the slopes of Dragonmount, the immense mountain that looms over the city, a child is born, an infant prophesied to change the world. That child must be found before he can be killed by the forces of the Shadow.

New Spring takes the story back about 20 years and tells us the story of how Lan became Warder to Moraine. Although not critical to the overall story, once completing the final book in the series, it was nice to finish off with a bit of background.

The Great Hunt: Book Two of The Wheel Of Time

The Wheel of Time turns and ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the age that gave it birth returns again. For centuries, gleemen have told the tales of The Great Hunt of the Horn. So many tales about each of the Hunters, and so many Hunters to tell of. Now, the Horn itself is found: the Horn of Valere long thought only legend, the Horn which will raise the dead heroes of the ages.

The story continues to gain depth and the characters are evolving as they experience their individual journies. I have to keep reminding myself that the main charaters: Rand, Matt, Perrin, Egwene, Nyneave, Min and Elayne are all supposed to be around 20 years old. Perhaps the readers response is also reflected (appropriately)depending their own age, resulting in the differing reviews available here and elsewhere? I am in my 50's and my own children are older than these kids! Can I understand where they are coming from? Hell yeah! Can I put myself in their shoes? Well maybe a half a century ago! Isn't that what a good story/sci-fantasy is all about? Looking forward to the next book.

The Eye of the World: Book One of The Wheel of Time

When their village is attacked by trollocs, monsters thought to be only legends, three young men, Rand, Matt, and Perrin, flee in the company of the Lady Moiraine, a sinister visitor of unsuspected powers. Thus begins an epic adventure set in a world of wonders and horror, where what was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

I love a long complicated plot that will keep me interested. I wasn't sure I wanted to start another Sci-fantasy epic on the heels of GRRM's ASOIAF. WOT was recommended by a friend who had also read the same books, but I put it on the back burner for a few months. I tried a couple of other genres and although I had the occassional win, most were 3 star and over way too soon. Finally, I started TEOTW and wonder now why I waited so long!

I am finding similarities of characters and storylines between writers of these type of stories. Sometimes I see Padin Fain and think of Tolkiens' Gollam; Perrin and Martins' Jon Snow; and even the Dark One with JK Rowlings "he who cannot be named" from Harry Potter. But no matter! I've jumped on the band wagon and I'm in for the long haul. I hope the journey continues to be as capivating as this first novel.

The Passage

Amy Harper Bellafonte is six years old, and her mother thinks she's the most important person in the whole world. She is.... Anthony Carter doesn't think he could ever be in a worse place than Death Row.... He's wrong. FBI agent Brad Wolgast thinks something beyond imagination is coming.... It is.

Definately not the story I had anticipated. I love a long read, with lots of characters and complicated parts. The beginning was excellent and for a while, I couldn't stop! I kinda wished he could have kept up that type of storytelling for the entire book but the pace slowed in the middle with the need to establish characters and set the background for the next book. Hope the next installment is as good as the first part of this book. Be a winner for sure if so.

The Hunger Games

Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning? In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by 12 outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Lots of good reviews here and on other sites, but it just didn't do it for me. I really wish I had realised it was a YA genre before I bought it. I kept thinking of the old Stephen King story "Running Man" only with teenagers. I think if I had read this when I was a teenager, I might have liked it, but I'm not going to read the rest of the series. Hopefully there are better choices out there for me.

A Discovery of Witches: The All Souls Trilogy, Book 1

When historian Diana Bishop opens an alchemical manuscript in the Bodleian Library, it's an unwelcome intrusion of magic into her carefully ordered life. Though Diana is a witch of impeccable lineage, the violent death of her parents while she was still a child convinced her that human fear is more potent than any witchcraft. Now Diana has unwittingly exposed herself to a world she's kept at bay for years; one of powerful witches, creative, destructive daemons and long-lived vampires.

I love a good vampire story, and although this was an original take, it did not live up to my expectations! Jennifer Ikeda's voice could have been more expressive. I got the impression of straight faces and serious expressions even when they were supposed to be happy! I loved the idea of the book, Ashmore 783 but the love story got priority. It got a little more interesting toward the end but I doubt I will bother with the next book.

The Lies of Locke Lamora

They say that the Thorn of Camorr can beat anyone in a fight. They say he steals from the rich and gives to the poor. They say he's part man, part myth, and mostly street-corner rumor. And they are wrong on every count. Only averagely tall, slender, and god-awful with a sword, Locke Lamora is the fabled Thorn, and the greatest weapons at his disposal are his wit and cunning. He steals from the rich - they're the only ones worth stealing from - but the poor can go steal for themselves.

The Night Circus

In 1886, a mysterious travelling circus becomes an international sensation. Open only at night, constructed entirely in black and white, Le Cirque des Rêves delights all who wander its circular paths and warm themselves at its bonfire. Although there are acrobats, fortune-tellers and contortionists, the Circus of Dreams is no conventional spectacle. Some tents contain clouds, some ice.

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